JP2013502005A - System and method for updating software products - Google Patents

Abstract

  Receiving a request to install the second version of the software product over the first version of the software product; and the first version of the software product remains operational, Installing the two versions of the software product in a dormant state, activating the second version of the software product, and deactivating the first version of the software product, thereby providing the first version and the second version. Swapping other software products. Various other methods, systems, and computer readable media are also disclosed.

Description

  Businesses and individuals regularly update or replace security software products that protect computing systems. Various conventional techniques can be used to update and replace security software products. Unfortunately, conventional techniques for updating and replacing security software products, such as MICROSOFT INSTALLER (“MSI”) and MICROSOFT PATCH (“MSP”) technologies, have made computer systems vulnerable during periods when security products are not in operation. It may be.

  Replacing a security product with MSI often involves uninstalling an existing security product, rebooting the computing system in which the security product was installed, and installing a new security product. The computing system may not be protected from when an old security product is uninstalled until when a new security product is installed and activated.

  The security product update by the MSP can convert the first version of the security product to the second version of the security product. During the update, the operation of the security product process may be stopped, updated, and then restarted. Thus, a system protected by a security product may become vulnerable while the security product is updated. Therefore, what is needed is a more effective way to replace and / or update software products.

  As described in more detail below, the present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for updating software products. As used herein, the phrase “update a software product” generally refers to updating and / or replacing an existing software product. In some embodiments, the method receives a request to install the first version of the software product over the second version of the software product, and the first version of the software product operates. And installing the second version of the software product in a dormant state, activating the second version of the software product, and deactivating the first version of the software product. Swapping the version and the second version of the software product. The software product may include a security software product. For example, a first version of a software product may include a first version of an antivirus application, and a second version of the software product may include a second version of an antivirus application.

  In some embodiments, the method may include rebooting the computing system with the first and second versions of the software product installed. The reboot may occur after installing the second version of the software product and before operating the second version of the software product. According to various embodiments, the second version of the software product may be activated during the reboot process before the computing system network adapter is enabled. The method may include disabling the network adapter until the second version of the software product is enabled.

  According to various embodiments, the step of installing the second version of the software product includes the step of installing one or more files of the second version of the software product and a step required during the boot process. Installing one or more components of the two versions of the software product. In some embodiments, one or more components of the second version of the software product that do not affect the execution of the first version of the software product are installed and, once installed, the first version of the software product May include partially installing the second version of the software product by forcing the installation of one or more components of the second version of the software that will affect the execution of.

  In one or more embodiments, the step of deactivating the second version of the software product includes the state of one or more components of the first version of the software product, wherein the one or more components reboot. It may include changing to not restart later. According to various embodiments, installing the second version of the software product may include saving one or more settings of the first version of the software product, Swapping the second version of the software product may include importing one or more settings of the first version of the software product into the second version of the software product.

  According to some embodiments, installing the second version of the software product may include identifying a set of differences between the first version of the software product and the second version of the software product. Yes, the step of swapping the first version and the second version of the software product is for updating one or more components of the first version of the software product for use in the second version of the software product. Can include using a set of differences. In various embodiments, the step of swapping the first version and the second version of the software product is performed after the first version of the software product is deactivated and the second version of the software product is activated. Uninstalling a version of the software product may be included. In at least one embodiment, the method may be tangibly embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one computer-readable storage medium.

  In some embodiments, the method may include receiving a request to install the first version of the security software product over the second version of the security software product. The method also installs one or more components of the second version of the security software product that do not affect the execution of the first version of the security software product and, once installed, the first version of the security software product. By suspending the installation of one or more components of the second version of the security software that will affect the execution of the software product, the second version of the security software product remains operating and the second May include installing a version of the security software product in a dormant state.

  The method further includes rebooting the computing system on which the first and second versions of the security software product are installed, operating the second version of the security software product, and operating the first version of the security software product. The step may include swapping the first version and the second version of the security software product by stopping. According to some embodiments, the method includes installing one or more files of a second version of the security software product, and a second version of the security software product required during the boot process. Installing one or more of the components. The method additionally or alternatively includes changing the state of the one or more components of the first version of the software product so that the one or more components do not restart after the computing system is rebooted. May be included.

  In some embodiments, the system causes the processing device to receive at least one processing device and a request to install the first version of the software product over the second version of the software product. An interface module programmed to command and programmed to instruct the processing device to install the second version of the software product in a dormant state while the first version of the software product remains operating The processing module to swap the first version and the second version of the software product by operating the installed module and the second version of the software product and deactivating the first version of the software product. Program to command It has been that there is provided a swapping module.

  In some embodiments, the first version of the software product may include a first version of an antivirus application, and the second version of the software product may include a second version of an antivirus application. . According to various embodiments, the swapping module can change the second state by changing the state of one or more components of the first version of the software product so that the one or more components do not restart after reboot. May be programmed to instruct the processing unit to shut down a version of the software product. In at least one embodiment, the installation module installs one or more files of the second version software product and / or one of the second version software products required during the boot process. Or, by installing multiple components, it may be programmed to instruct the processing device to install a second version of the software product.

  Features from any of the above-described embodiments can be used in combination with each other according to the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be more fully understood when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

  The accompanying drawings illustrate some exemplary embodiments and are a part of the specification. These drawings, along with the following description, illustrate various principles of the present disclosure.

1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for updating a software product. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of another exemplary system for updating a software product. 2 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for updating a software product. 6 is another flow diagram of another exemplary method for updating a software product. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example computing system that can implement one or more of the embodiments described and / or illustrated herein. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing network that can implement one or more of the embodiments described and / or illustrated herein. FIG.

  Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

  As described in more detail below, the present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for updating software products. Embodiments of the present disclosure can install over a new product without having to uninstall the existing product during the installation process. For example, the computing system can install the second version of the software product in a dormant state while the first version of the software product is still running, operate the second version of the software product, and The first version and the second version of the software product can be swapped by deactivating one version of the software product.

  Embodiments of the present disclosure generally apply to situations where one software product is installed over another software product (ie, a situation where only one version of a software product can operate at a time). In such situations, traditional installation tools typically uninstall an existing software product before installing a new software product, which can result in periods of no software product running. is there. With respect to security software products such as anti-virus and data protection products, a computing system protected by an existing product may become vulnerable while the existing product is uninstalled and a new product is installed. Embodiments of the present disclosure can eliminate and / or minimize software downtime by installing a new version of a software product while the existing version of the software product is still running . Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide various other features and advantages.

  In the following, an exemplary system for updating a software product will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. A computer-implemented method corresponding to this will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Further, exemplary computing systems and network architectures that can implement one or more embodiments described herein are described in detail in connection with FIGS. 57 and 6, respectively.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 100 for updating a software product. As shown in this figure, exemplary system 100 may include one or more modules 102 for performing one or more tasks. For example, as described in more detail below, exemplary system 100 is programmed to receive a request to install a first version software product over a second version software product. Interface module 104 may be included. The exemplary system 100 may also include an install module 106 that is programmed to install the second version of the software product in a dormant state while the first version of the software product remains operational. .

  Further, as will be described in more detail below, the exemplary system 100 disables the first version of the software product and activates the second version of the software product to activate the first version and the first version. It may also include a swapping module 108 programmed to swap two versions of the software product. Although illustrated as separate elements, one or more of the modules 102 of FIG. 1 may represent a single module or part of an application.

  In some embodiments, one or more of the modules 102 of FIG. 1 can be one or more software applications or programs that can cause the computing device to perform one or more tasks when executed by the computing device. May represent a program. For example, as described in more detail below, one or more of the modules 102 may include the devices shown in FIG. 2 (eg, computing device 202 and / or server 206), computing system 510 of FIG. 6 may represent software modules that are stored and executed on one or more computing devices, such as a portion of six exemplary network actuators 600. One or more of the modules 102 of FIG. 1 may also represent all or part of one or more dedicated computers configured to perform one or more tasks.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the exemplary system 100 may include one or more databases 120. Database 120 may represent a single database or part of a computing device, or multiple databases or computing devices. In one embodiment, exemplary system 100 may include a difference database 122 for storing differences between a first version software product and a second version software product. The example system 100 may also include a settings database 124 for storing one or more settings to be migrated from a first version software product to a second version software product.

  The database 120 of FIG. 1 may represent a portion of one or more computing devices. For example, the database 120 may represent a portion of the server 206 of FIG. 2, the computing system 510 of FIG. 5, and / or a portion of the example network architecture 600 of FIG. Alternatively, the database 120 of FIG. 1 may be accessed by a computing device such as the server 206 of FIG. 2, the computing system 510 of FIG. 5, and / or a portion of the example network architecture 600 of FIG. May represent multiple physically distinct devices.

  The exemplary system 100 of FIG. 1 can be deployed in various ways. For example, all or part of the example system 100 may represent a part of a cloud computing environment or a network-based environment, such as the example system 200 shown in FIG. A cloud computing environment can provide various services and applications via the Internet. These cloud-based services (eg, software as a service, platform as a service, infrastructure as a service, etc.) may be accessible via a web browser or other remote interface. The various functions described herein can be provided by a remote desktop environment or any other cloud-based computing environment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the system 200 may include a computing device 202 that communicates with a server 206 via a network 204. In one embodiment, computing device 202 may include one or more modules 102 and / or one or more databases 120. The computing device 202 may also include a first version software product 220 and a second version software product 222. The computing device 202 may execute one or more modules 102 and one or more databases 120 in the process for overwriting the first version of the software product 220 with the second version of the software product 222. May be used. In some embodiments, the computing device 202 may receive a second version of the software product 222 from the server 206 as part of an enterprise software deployment. Alternatively, the second version of the software product 222 may be overwritten on the first version of the software product 220 as part of an installation initiated directly on the computing device 202. For example, the second version of the software product 222 may be provided by any suitable transport mechanism including a CD, DVD, BLUERAY disk, USB device, the Internet, and / or a local network.

  Computing device 202 generally represents any type or form of computing device capable of reading computer-executable instructions. Examples of computing device 202 include, but are not limited to, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a multimedia player, an embedded system, one or more of them. A combination, the exemplary computing system 510 in FIG. 5, or any other suitable computing device may be mentioned.

  Server 206 generally represents any type or form of computing device capable of deploying a software product. Examples of server 206 include, but are not limited to, application servers and database servers configured to provide various database services and / or run some software application.

  Network 204 generally represents any medium or architecture that can facilitate communication or data transfer. Examples of network 204 include, but are not limited to, an intranet, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), the Internet, power line communication (PLC), a cellular network (eg, a GSM network). The exemplary network architecture 600 of FIG. The network 204 can facilitate communication or data transfer using a wireless or wired connection. In one embodiment, the network 204 can facilitate communication between the computing device 202 and the server 206.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary computer-implemented method 300 for updating a software product. The steps shown in FIG. 3 may be performed by any suitable computer executable code and / or computing system. In some embodiments, the steps shown in FIG. 3 may be performed by one or more of the components of system 100 of FIG. 1 and / or system 200 of FIG. For example, at step 302, the interface module 104 may receive a request to install a first version software product over a second version software product as part of the computing device 210. . In some embodiments, this request may be received from a remote application. For example, a server that deploys a second version of a software product may request installation of the software product. The request may also be a request from an installation package that includes the second version of the software product. Additionally or alternatively, this request may be received from an information technology (“IT”) administrator or other user.

  As used herein, the phrase “software product” refers to any software application, executable file, installation package, or other computer-executable code that is programmed to be installed and executed on a computing system. Represents. Software products include but are not limited to word processors, spreadsheets, productivity software, security software (anti-virus programs, firewalls, parental control software, data loss prevention software, etc.), and various other types of software programs Is mentioned. The phrases “first version software product” and “second version software product” may represent an older version and a newer version of the same software program from the same company, respectively. For example, the first version of the software product may be a 2008 version of an anti-virus program and the second version of the software product may be a 2009 version of the same program.

  Alternatively, the first and second version software products may be different programs that perform similar functions. For example, the first version of the software product may be a firewall application developed by a first software company, and the second version of the software product is a firewall application developed by a second software company. Sometimes. In other embodiments, the first version and the second version of the software product may be different but related programs from the same company. For example, the first version of the software product may be a basic computer security program (e.g., an anti-virus program) with basic functions, and the second version of the software product may be an advanced software with more advanced functions. It may be a computer security program (eg an Internet security suite of programs).

  As used herein, “installing a first version of a software product over a second version of a software product” generally overwrites one version of the software product with another version of the software product. Means to install. Overwrite installation generally refers to an installation process for installing one version of a software application and erasing the previous version of the software application. In contrast, other installation processes may not involve replacing one version of a product with another version of the product. Such an installation process includes installing a patch for an existing software product and installing two versions of the software product in parallel. Overwrite installation does not represent these patch installations and parallel installations.

  The overwrite installation process may be used in situations where only one instance of the software product can be run at a time. For example, many computing systems may only run one firewall software program at a time. Other installation situations where only one instance can run are such that the installation of two similar software products can cause conflicts and / or other problems that can cause the system to become unstable. The situation can be mentioned.

  Returning to FIG. 3, at step 304, the install module 106 installs the second version of the software product as a part of the computing device 210 while the first version of the software product remains operational. There are things to do. The install module 106 can install the second version in various ways described in more detail below. As used herein, the phrase “hibernation” refers to a software product that is at least partially installed but not running. The installation module 106 installs the second version of the software product by installing the second version of the software product so that it does not interfere with the first version of the software product when the first version of the software product is operating. The product may be installed in hibernation mode.

  In some embodiments, the installation module 106 may install the second version of the software product by installing one or more files of the second version of the software product. For example, the install module 106 may install one or more executable files and / or other code for the second version of the software product. The install module 106 may also install one or more other components of the second version of the software product. For example, the installation module 106 may install one or more services, drivers, registry keys, and / or other components of the second version of the software product.

  The install module 106 installs only the files and other components of the second version software product that do not affect the execution of the first version of the software product, and when installed, affects the execution of the first version of the product. A part of the second version of the software product may be installed by forcing the installation of one or more components of the second version of the software product that may be affected. The installation module 106 can identify components of the second version of the software product that do not affect the execution of the first version of the software product in various ways. In some embodiments, the installation module 106 identifies such components by reading a list or other database that identifies components that can be safely installed while the first version of the software product is running. There are things to do.

  In other embodiments, the install module 106 determines whether one of the second version of the software product that can be safely installed by determining whether the first version of the software product is utilizing a component corresponding to the new component. One or more components may be automatically identified. For example, the install module 106 may forego overwriting the driver currently used by the first version of the software product.

  According to some embodiments, the installation module 106 may identify a set of differences between the first version and the second version of the software product. The set of differences may be a list, a difference file, an instruction set, and / or any other information set that identifies one or more differences between the first version and the second version of the software product. . One set of differences is to later swap one or more registry keys, one or more services, one or more shortcuts, and / or a first and second version software product. One or more actions may need to be identified at a time (eg, after reboot). One set of differences may additionally or alternatively remain with one or more registry keys, one or more services, one or more shortcuts, and / or the first version of the software product running. One or more actions that may be performed (ie, actions that do not affect the execution of the first version of the software product as described above) may be identified.

  The installation module 106 can store one or more settings of the first version of the software product. For example, the installation module 106 can read one or more settings of the first version of the software product and save the settings in a database, such as the settings database 124. The swapping module 108 can then read those settings from the database and import them into the second version of the software product. Accordingly, one or more settings of the first version of the software product, such as user-defined settings and / or other settings, can be maintained in the second version of the software product.

  After installation is complete (or before or during installation), the install module 106 may register a service that swaps the first and second version software products. A registered service that may include the swapping module 108 may be an execution mode process (ie, a chkdsk process), a kernel driver, a system service, and / or any other suitable service.

  At step 306, the swapping module 108 may swap the first version and the second version of the software product as part of the computing device 210. The swapping module 108 can swap the first version and the second version of the software product in various ways. For example, the swapping module 108 can swap the first version and the second version of the software product by activating the second version of the software product and deactivating the first version of the software product. . As used herein, the phrase “activate the second version of the software product” operates one or more processes of the second version of the software product, and / or the second version of the software. Generally represents any procedure that prepares one or more processes of a product to operate. Conversely, the phrase “deactivate the first version of the software product” terminates execution of the first version of the software product that stops execution of one or more processes of the first version of the software product. Generally represents any procedure to prepare for and / or change the first version of the software product so that the first version of the software product does not restart after termination.

  In some embodiments, the swapping module 108 may state the state of one or more components of the first version of the software product while the first version of the software product remains operating. Some components may change to not restart after reboot. For example, the swapping module 108 may change the state of one or more services and / or drivers in the first version of the software product so that they do not work after a system reboot.

  The swapping module 108 is configured to update the one or more previously identified first and second versions to update one or more components of the first version software product for use in the second version software product. A set of differences between different versions of a software product may be used. For example, the swapping module 108 may include one or more registry keys of the second version of the software product (eg, by adding new keys, deleting old keys, and / or modifying existing keys). May be updated. Additionally or alternatively, the swapping module 108 may update (eg, add, delete, and / or change) some or all services and / or drivers of the second version of the software product. The swapping module 108 may also update one or more shortcuts (including symbolic links) of the second version of the software product. In addition, the swapping module 108 may operate one or more custom actions, such as a custom executable that can modify the computing system outside of the installation process.

  According to some embodiments, the swapping module 108 uninstalls and uninstalls the first version of the software product after the first version of the software product is deactivated and the second version of the software product is activated. May be cleaned up in other ways. For example, the swapping module 108 may erase any files and other data associated with the first version of the software product.

  FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of another exemplary computer-implemented method for updating a security software product, such as an anti-virus application, a firewall application, a data loss prevention application, and / or Any other application for protecting a computing system and / or protecting data stored on a computing system. The steps shown in FIG. 4 may be performed by any suitable computer executable code and / or computing system. In some embodiments, the steps shown in FIG. 4 may be performed by one or more of the components of system 100 of FIG. 1 and / or system 200 of FIG. For example, at step 402, the interface module 104 receives a request to install a first version of a security software product over a second version of the security software product as part of the computing device 210. There is. At step 404, the install module 106 may install one or more components of the second version of the security software product that do not affect the execution of the first version of the security software product. Steps 402 and 404 are similar to steps 302 and 304, and can be performed with one or more of the methods described in FIG.

  At step 406, the install module 106 may change the state of one or more components of the first version of the software product so that the one or more components do not restart after reboot. For example, the install module 106 may modify one or more services and / or drivers of the first version of the software product so that they do not work after a system reboot. Such a process may be particularly useful for services and / or drivers that cannot be unloaded and / or stopped. Alternatively, if services and drivers are updated using the run mode process before the services and drivers are allowed to start after reboot, it may not be necessary to change the services and drivers before rebooting.

  At step 408, the installation module 106 may cause the computing system protected by the first version of the software product to reboot. In some embodiments, the reboot may occur after installing the second version of the software product and before operating the second version of the software product. In some embodiments, in order to protect the computing system from security threats, the second version of the software product is activated during the reboot process before one or more network adapters of the computing system are enabled. Sometimes. For example, the swapping module 108 may activate the second version of the software product early in the boot process (ie, before the network adapter is activated). Alternatively, the swapping module 108 may disable one or more network adapters of the computing system until the second version of the software product is enabled. The swapping module 108 may also perform any other suitable action to protect the computing system while the first version and the second version of the software product are swapped.

  In some embodiments, the first version of the software product may not be disabled immediately after reboot. For example, after a first reboot, a security driver (eg, an anti-virus and / or firewall driver, etc.) from a first version software product may work. During the first reboot, the execution mode application may run, which may update one or more components of the first version of the software product for the second version of the software product. For example, run mode applications can change points without affecting their current instances. The operating system of the computing system may not be fully functional (ie not fully loaded after the first reboot). Also, the software product may not be fully loaded after this reboot. After the components of the first version of the software product are updated, the first version of the software product may be set to be disabled, and the second version of the software product may be set to the second reboot. May be set to be activated to work later. At this point, the execution mode application may force a second reboot. In such a situation, the first version of the software product can continue to operate until after the second reboot.

  At step 410, the swapping module 108 may swap the first version and the second version of the security software product. Step 410 is similar to step 306 in FIG. Accordingly, one or more of the processes disclosed in the discussion of step 306 can also be used to perform step 410.

  Embodiments of the present disclosure may allow an existing version of a security product to be installed over a new version of the security product so that the computing system is not vulnerable. For example, the installation process described herein can be implemented such that there is no downtime between the deactivation of the first security software application and the activation of the second security software application.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing system 510 that can implement one or more of the embodiments described and / or illustrated herein. Computing system 510 broadly represents any single or multiprocessor computing device or system capable of executing computer readable instructions. Examples of computing system 510 include, but are not limited to, a workstation, laptop computer, client-side terminal, server, distributed computing system, handheld device, or any other computing system or device. In its most basic configuration, computing system 510 can include at least one processor 514 and system memory 516.

  Processing unit 514 generally represents any type or form of processing unit capable of processing data or interpreting and executing instructions. In some embodiments, the processing unit 514 may receive instructions from a software application or module. These instructions may cause processing unit 514 to perform the functions of one or more exemplary embodiments described and / or illustrated herein. For example, the processing unit 514, alone or in combination with other elements, performs one or more of the receive, install, swapping, reboot, disable, mate, modify, and / or uninstall steps described herein. It may be implemented and / or a means for implementing them. The processing device 514 may also perform and / or be a means for performing any other steps, methods, or processes described and / or illustrated herein.

  System memory 516 generally represents any type or form of volatile or non-volatile storage device or medium capable of storing data and / or other computer-readable instructions. Examples of system memory 516 include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, or any other suitable memory device. Although not necessarily so, in some embodiments, computing system 510 may include a volatile memory unit (such as system memory 516) and a non-volatile memory device (such as main memory 532 described in detail below). ) May be included. In one example, one or more of the modules 102 from FIG. 1 can be loaded into the system memory 516.

  In some embodiments, exemplary computing system 510 may also include one or more components or elements in addition to processor 514 and system memory 516. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the computing system 510 may include a memory controller 518, an input / output (I / O) controller 520, and a communication interface 522, each of which includes a communication infrastructure 512. May be interconnected. Communication infrastructure 512 generally represents any type or form of infrastructure that can facilitate communication between one or more components of a computing device. Examples of communication infrastructure 512 include, but are not limited to, communication buses (such as ISA, PCI, PCIe, or similar buses) and networks.

  Memory controller 518 generally represents any type or form of device that can handle memory or data or that can control communication between one or more components of computing system 510. For example, in some embodiments, the memory controller 518 can control communication between the processing device 514, the system memory 516, and the I / O controller 520 via the communication infrastructure 512. In some embodiments, the memory controller alone or in combination with other elements is described and / or described herein, including receiving, installing, swapping, rebooting, disabling, matching, changing, and / or uninstalling. Alternatively, one or more of the illustrated steps or functions may be performed and / or may be a means for performing them.

  The I / O controller 520 generally represents any type or form of module that can coordinate and / or control the input / output functions of a computing device. For example, in some embodiments, the I / O controller 520 includes one or more of the computing systems 510, such as the processing unit 514, the system memory 516, the communication interface 522, the display adapter 526, the input interface 530, and the storage interface 534. The transfer of data between multiple elements can be controlled or facilitated. The I / O controller 520, alone or in combination with other elements, can include one or more of the receive, install, swapping, reboot, disable, self-control, change, and / or uninstall steps described herein. Can be used to implement and / or a means for implementing them. The I / O controller 520 can also be used to perform and / or be a means for performing other steps and functions described in this disclosure.

  Communication interface 522 broadly represents any type or form of communication device or adapter that can facilitate communication between exemplary computing system 510 and one or more additional devices. For example, in some embodiments, the communication interface 522 can facilitate communication between the computing system 510 and a private or public network that includes additional computing systems. Examples of communication interface 522 include, but are not limited to, a wired network interface (such as a network interface card), a wireless network interface (such as a wireless network interface card), a modem, and any other suitable interface. In at least one embodiment, communication interface 522 may provide a direct connection to a remote server via a direct link to a network such as the Internet. The communication interface 522 also provides such connections via, for example, a local area network (such as an Ethernet network), a personal area network, a telephone or cable network, a cellular telephone connection, a satellite data connection, or any other suitable connection. Can also be provided indirectly.

  In some embodiments, the communication interface 522 includes a host adapter configured to facilitate communication between the computing system 510 and one or more additional networks or storage devices via an external bus or communication channel. Sometimes expressed. Examples of host adapters include, but are not limited to, SCSI host adapters, USB host adapters, IEEE 1394 host adapters, SATA and eSATA host adapters, ATA and PATA host adapters, Fiber Channel interface adapters, Ethernet adapters, and the like. Communication interface 522 may also allow computing system 510 to engage in distributed or remote computing. For example, the communication interface 522 may receive instructions from a remote device or send instructions to a remote device to execute the instructions. In some embodiments, the communication interface 522, alone or in combination with other elements, receives, installs, swaps, reboots, disables, restraints, changes, and / or uninstall steps disclosed herein. Can be implemented and / or can be a means for implementing them. The communication interface 522 may also be used to perform and / or be a means for performing other steps and functions described in this disclosure.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the computing system 510 may include at least one display device 524 coupled to the communications infrastructure 512 via a display adapter 526. Display device 524 generally represents any type or form of device capable of visually displaying information transferred by display adapter 526. Similarly, display adapter 526 is configured to transfer graphics, text, and other data from communication infrastructure 512 (or from a frame buffer known in the art) for display on display device 524. It generally represents any type or form of device that has been designated.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the exemplary computing system 510 may include at least one input device 528 coupled to the communication infrastructure 512 via the input interface 530. Input device 528 generally represents any type or form of input device that can provide computer-generated or human-generated input to exemplary computing system 510. Examples of input device 528 include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, pointing device, voice recognition device, or any other input device. In at least one embodiment, the input device 528, alone or in combination with other elements, receives, installs, swaps, reboots, disables, restraints, changes, and / or uninstall steps disclosed herein. Can be implemented and / or can be a means for implementing them. Input device 528 can also be used to perform and / or be a means for performing other steps and functions described in this disclosure.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the exemplary computing system 510 may also include a main storage device 532 and a backup storage device 533 that are coupled to the communication infrastructure 512 via a storage interface 534. Storage devices 532 and 533 generally represent any type or form of storage device or medium capable of storing data and / or other computer-readable instructions. For example, the storage devices 532 and 533 may be magnetic disk drives (eg, so-called hard drives), floppy disk drives, magnetic tape drives, optical disk drives, flash drives, and the like. Storage interface 534 generally represents any type or form of interface or device for transferring data between storage devices 532 and 533 and other components of computing system 510. In one example, database 120 from FIG. 1 may be stored in main memory 532.

  In some embodiments, storage devices 532 and 533 read from and / or to a removable storage unit configured to store computer software, data, or other computer-readable information. May be configured to write. Examples of suitable removable storage units include, but are not limited to, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, optical disks, flash memory devices, and the like. Storage devices 532 and 533 may also include other similar structures or devices to allow computer software, data, or other computer readable instructions to be loaded into computing system 510. For example, storage devices 532 and 533 may be configured to read and write software, data, or other computer readable information. Storage devices 532 and 533 may also be part of computing system 510 or may be separate devices accessed by other interface systems.

  In some embodiments, storage devices 532 and 533 may be, for example, alone or in combination with other elements, receive, install, swap, reboot, disable, self-control, change, and / or disclosed herein. Or it can be used to perform one or more of the uninstall steps and / or be a means for performing them. Storage devices 532 and 533 may also be used to perform and / or be a means for performing other steps and functions described in this disclosure.

  Many other devices or subsystems can be connected to the computing system 510. Conversely, the components and apparatus shown in FIG. 5 do not have to be complete in order to implement the embodiments described and / or illustrated herein. Also, the devices and subsystems referred to above may be interconnected in different ways than shown in FIG. In addition, the computing system 510 may employ any number of software, firmware, and / or hardware configurations. For example, one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be encoded as a computer program (also referred to as computer software, software application, computer readable instructions, or computer control logic) on a computer readable medium. it can. The phrase “computer-readable medium” generally represents any form of device, carrier, or medium capable of storing or carrying computer-readable instructions. Examples of computer readable media include, but are not limited to, transmission media such as carrier waves, physical media such as magnetic storage media (eg hard disk drives and floppy disks), optical storage media (eg CD-ROM or DVD-ROM). Electronic storage media (eg, solid state drives and flash media), and other distribution systems.

  Computer readable media including the computer program can be loaded into the computing system 510. All or a portion of the computer program stored on the computer readable medium can then be stored in the system memory 516 and / or various portions of the storage devices 532 and 533. When executed by processor 514, a computer program loaded into computing system 510 may cause processor 514 to perform the functions of one or more exemplary embodiments described and / or illustrated herein, and / or Alternatively, processor 514 can be a means for performing such functions. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the exemplary embodiments described and / or illustrated herein can be implemented in the form of firmware and / or hardware. For example, the computing system 510 can be configured as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) adapted to implement one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary network architecture 600 in which client systems 610, 620, and 630, and servers 640 and 645 can be coupled to a network 650. Client systems 610, 620, and 630 generally represent any type or form of computing device or system, such as the example computing system 510 of FIG. In one example, client system 610 can include system 100 from FIG.

  Similarly, servers 640 and 645 generally represent a computing device or system, such as an application server or database server, configured to provide various database services and / or execute some software application. . Network 650 generally represents any telecommunications network or computer network including, for example, an intranet, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), or the Internet.

  As shown in FIG. 6, one or more storage devices 660 (1)-(N) can be directly attached to the server 640. Similarly, one or more storage devices 670 (1)-(N) can be directly attached to server 645. Storage devices 660 (1)-(N) and 670 (1)-(N) generally represent any type or form of storage device or medium capable of storing data and / or other computer-readable instructions. Represent. In some embodiments, storage devices 660 (1)-(N) and storage devices 670 (1)-(N) communicate with servers 640 and 645 using various protocols such as NFS, SMB, or CIFS. May represent a network attached storage (NAS) device configured to do so.

  Servers 640 and 645 may also be connected to a storage area network (SAN) fabric 680. The SAN fabric 680 generally represents any type or form of computer network or architecture that can facilitate communication between multiple storage devices. The SAN fabric 680 can facilitate communication between the servers 640 and 645 and the plurality of storage devices 690 (1)-(N) and / or the intelligent storage array 695. SAN fabric 680 also facilitates communication between client systems 610, 620, and 630 and storage devices 690 (1)-(N) and / or intelligent storage array 695 via network 650 and servers 640 and 645. The devices 690 (1)-(N) and the array 695 also appear as local connection devices to the client systems 610, 620, and 630. Similar to storage devices 660 (1)-(N) and storage devices 670 (1)-(N), storage devices 690 (1)-(N) and intelligent storage array 695 may be data and / or other computer readable. Generally represents any type or form of storage device or medium capable of storing instructions.

  In some embodiments, referring to the exemplary computing system 510 of FIG. 5, using a communication interface, such as the communication interface 522 of FIG. 5, between each client system 610, 620, and 630 and the network 650. Connectivity can be provided. Client systems 610, 620, and 630 may be able to access information on servers 640 and 645 using, for example, a web browser or other client software. Such software includes client systems 610, 620, and 630, server 640, server 645, storage devices 660 (1)-(N), storage devices 670 (1)-(N), storage device 690 (1). ~ (N), or may allow access to data hosted by the intelligent storage array 695. Although FIG. 6 illustrates the use of a network (such as the Internet) for exchanging data, the embodiments described and / or illustrated herein are not limited to the Internet or any particular network-based environment.

  In at least one embodiment, all or a portion of one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are encoded as a computer program to create a server 640, server 645, storage device 660 (1)-(N). , Storage devices 670 (1)-(N), storage devices 690 (1)-(N), intelligent storage array 695, or any combination thereof, can be executed by them. Also, all or part of one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be encoded as a computer program, stored on a server 640, operated by server 645, and client system 610 via network 650, 620 and 630 can also be distributed. Accordingly, the network architecture 600, alone or in combination with other elements, can include one or more of the receive, install, swap, reboot, disable, self-control, change, and / or uninstall steps disclosed herein. And / or a means for implementing them. The network architecture 600 may also be used to perform and / or be a means for performing other steps and functions described in this disclosure.

  As detailed above, one or more components of computing system 510 and / or network architecture 600, alone or in combination with other elements, are exemplary methods for updating a software product. One or more of the steps may be performed and / or may be a means for performing them.

  Although the foregoing disclosure has described various embodiments using specific block diagrams, flowcharts, and examples, the components of each block diagram described and / or illustrated herein, the steps of the flowchart, operations, and The components may be implemented individually and / or collectively using a variety of hardware configurations, software configurations, or firmware configurations (or any combination thereof). Moreover, any disclosure of components contained in other components should be considered exemplary in nature as many other architectures can be implemented to achieve the same functionality.

  The process parameters and sequence of steps described and / or illustrated herein are provided by way of example only and can be varied as desired. For example, although the steps illustrated and / or described herein may be illustrated or discussed in a particular order, these steps need not necessarily be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. In addition, the various exemplary methods described and / or illustrated herein may omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein, or may include additional steps in addition to the disclosed steps. it can.

  Although various embodiments have been described and / or illustrated herein in the context of a fully functional computing system, one or more of these exemplary embodiments may be used to actually perform the distribution. Regardless of the specific type of readable medium, it can be distributed as a program product in various forms. The embodiments disclosed herein can also be implemented using software modules that perform particular tasks. These software modules may include scripts, batches, or other executable files that may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or in a computing system. In some embodiments, these software modules can configure a computing system to implement one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.

  Further, one or more of the modules described herein can change the representation of data, physical devices, and / or physical devices from one form to another. For example, one or more modules 102 can convert a first version of a software product to a second version of the software product.

  The foregoing description has been presented so that those skilled in the art may best utilize the various aspects of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. This exemplary description is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be limited to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. In determining the scope of the disclosure, reference should be made to the appended claims and their equivalents.

  Unless otherwise indicated, the singular forms used in the specification and claims should be interpreted to mean “at least one”. Furthermore, for ease of use, the words “comprising” and “having” as used in the specification and claims are synonymous with the word “comprising” and have the same meaning.

Claims (20)

A computer-implemented method for updating a software product, wherein at least part of the method is performed by a computing device comprising at least one processing unit,
Receiving a request to install a second version of the software product over the first version of the software product;
Installing the second version of the software product in a dormant state while the first version of the software product is operating;
Swapping the first version and the second version of the software product by activating the second version of the software product and deactivating the first version of the software product.   The method of claim 1, wherein the software product comprises a security software product. The first version of the software product comprises a first version of an antivirus application;
The method of claim 2, wherein the second version of the software product comprises a second version of an antivirus application. Rebooting the computing system on which the first and second versions of the software product are installed, wherein the rebooting step is after installing the second version of the software product and the second version The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed prior to operating a version of the software product.   The method of claim 4, wherein the second version of the software product is activated during the reboot process before a network adapter of the computing system is activated. The method of claim 5, further comprising disabling the network adapter until the second version of the software product is activated. Installing the second version of the software product comprises:
Installing one or more files of the second version of the software product;
And installing one or more components of the second version of the software product that are required during the boot process. Installing the second version of the software product comprises:
Installing one or more components of the second version of the software product that do not affect execution of the first version of the software product;
Suspending installation of one or more components of the second version of the software product that, when installed, will affect the execution of the first version of the software product, The method of claim 1 including installing a portion of the software product. Deactivating the second version of the software product comprises:
The method of claim 1, comprising changing a state of one or more components of the first version of the software product such that the one or more components do not restart after a reboot. Installing the second version of the software product includes storing one or more settings of the first version of the software product;
Swapping the first version and the second version of the software product includes importing one or more settings of the first version of the software product into the second version of the software product. Item 2. The method according to Item 1. Installing the second version of the software product includes identifying a set of differences between the first version of the software product and the second version of the software product;
Swapping the first and second version software products updates one or more components of the first version software product for use in the second version software product. The method of claim 1 including using the set of differences to achieve. Swapping the first version and the second version of the software product comprises:
The method of claim 1, comprising uninstalling the first version of the software product after the first version of the software product is deactivated and the second version of the software product is activated.   The method of claim 1, tangibly embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one computer-readable storage medium. A computer-implemented method for updating a security software product, wherein at least part of the method is performed by a computing device comprising at least one processing unit,
Receiving a request to install the first version of the security software product over the second version of the security software product;
One or more components of the second version of the security software product that do not affect the execution of the first version of the security software product are installed and, once installed, of the first version of the security software product By suspending the installation of one or more components of the second version of the security software that will affect execution, the second version of the security software product remains operating and the second version Installing a version of a security software product in hibernation;
Rebooting the computing system in which the first and second versions of the security software product are installed;
Activating the second version of the security software product and swapping the first version and the second version of the software product by deactivating the first version of the security software product. Implementation method. Installing the second version of the security software product comprises:
Installing one or more files of the second version of the security software product;
15. The method of claim 14, comprising installing one or more components of the second version of the security software product that are required during the boot process. Deactivating the second version of the software product comprises:
15. The step of changing the state of one or more components of the first version of the security software product so that the one or more components do not restart after rebooting the computing system. the method of. At least one processing device;
An interface module programmed to instruct the processing device to receive a request to install a second version of the software product over the first version of the software product;
An install module programmed to instruct the processing device to install the second version software product in a dormant state while the first version software product remains operational;
Instructing the processing unit to swap the first version and the second version of the software product by activating the second version of the software product and deactivating the first version of the software product. And a swapping module programmed to do. The first version of the software product comprises a first version of an antivirus application;
The method of claim 17, wherein the second version of the software product comprises a second version of an antivirus application.   The swapping module determines the state of one or more components of the first version of the software product after the reboot of the computing system in which the first and second versions of the software product are installed. 18. The system of claim 17, programmed to instruct the processing device to deactivate the second version of the software product by changing the component so that it does not restart. The installation module is
Installing one or more files of the second version of the software product;
Instructing the processing device to install the second version of the software product by installing one or more components of the second version of the software product required during the boot process. The system of claim 17 programmed into the system.

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